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Massively tours Fiesta's new Expedition to Adealia
Who doesn't love checking out a game's new content? I love it, for sure. So I was more than happy to sit down and ride along with the developers of Fiesta as they showed off their new expansion, Expedition to Adealia. The tour wasn't all rainbows and kittens, that's for sure. I found myself surrounded by towering monsters, crazy children brandishing giant knives, and massive, fire-breathing boss-monsters. It was fun, but I had no idea this cute Anime title could be so hardcore! Luckily for me, my hosts had the ability to heal or resurrect me when needed. I didn't do too shabbily, though, and I shot arrows like bullets, bringing down every mighty beast I came across. It was fun, yes, but a real slaughter. Well, for the monsters at least. And for those of you who'd like to host your own dance party in the game, Outspark was kind enough to provide Massively with plenty of goodie bag codes to give away. To get this free item, head to the redemption page and enter the item code MassivelyFiesta. You have until the 31st of January to redeem it. Journey on to see just what I found during my tour of the Adealia expansion!
New ArcheAge video shows off 34 minutes of housing gameplay
If you're into player housing, you'll want to have a look at the latest closed beta test footage from ArcheAge. The clip was recorded by Korean players in XLGAMES' ongoing CBT4 testing phase, and it shows off a whopping 34 minutes of housing-related shenanigans. The really interesting bits begin around the 28-minute mark, as we get to see a pretty good demonstration of the game's interior decoration mechanics. It looks a bit like EverQuest II in terms of object placement and rotation abilities, and there are also quite a large number of unique furniture pieces and accoutrements.
The Road to Mordor: Resolutions, Baggins and Took-style
Mmm... smell that? It's the smell of a fresh new year, that is! Rolled right off the factory floor with no dings, the warranty still intact, and a tank full of gas and dreams. Makes one want to abandon the routine and head out onto the open road, does it not? I'm one of those old fuddy-duddys who actually does New Year's resolutions, whether or not I'm actually capable of keeping them. I think it's important to try to better oneself and keep reaching for higher goals and standards, and if a new year is a convenient excuse to get my butt in gear, then I'm not complaining. So right now I'm staring at a field of endless potential for Lord of the Rings Online in 2012. I've actually been giving it a lot of thought -- what do I want out of this year? As LotRO heads toward its fifth anniversary, is there really anything new left that I haven't experienced? And what the heck am I going to write about for 52 more weeks? Never fear because the more I pondered, the more I realized that there's plenty of content yet to plunder (plus, of course, whatever Turbine has up its sleeves for the year). So for today's column, I sat down and drew up a list of resolutions in two parts: "Bagginsish" resolutions that are all about fluff and creature comforts and "Tookish" resolutions that are more concerned with high adventure.
Some Assembly Required: A virtual world roundup
If you are perusing this column, chances are you are a fan of virtual worlds and the sandbox genre. Join the club! (Dues will be due on the third Tuesday.) The aspect that compels many aficionados to delve into a game is the ability to make an impact on the world in some small respect instead of making them into Hive Member 1593072 running a static, predetermined gauntlet. How that impact is accomplished, however, varies; there are multiple features that can facilitate it, and which ones are considered most important depends on the player. With the loss of one of the best sandbox games just last month, some players may be feeling a void. Others still are looking/hoping for the "ultimate" sandbox that contains nearly every virtual world feature. Certainly, there are some upcoming games that make some drool-worthy promises, but what about playing something now? There are actually games out on the market that have at least one aspect of the genre, if not more. To start off the new year, Some Assembly Required looks at some of the top features of virtual worlds and lists games that incorporate these features. While this list isn't exhaustive (considering the sheer number of games when you include all of the smaller free-to-play titles, I'd run out of column space!), it is a comprehensive enough overview to point you toward some games worth playing that perhaps you hadn't considered before.
The Road to Mordor: Wish lists, past and future
Hobbits love making lists, don't they? In The Fellowship of the Ring, Bilbo had a lengthy list of friends and relatives to invite to his eleventy-first birthday party, and he didn't have the luxury of Facebook to help him out. I love lists as well, although I try to save most of that for my Perfect Ten column. At the beginning of the year, I sat down and drafted up a "wish list" for Lord of the Rings Online's 2011 year, populating it with 11 changes and additions I was hoping to see by now. To my surprise, Turbine actually pulled off quite a few items on the list, and I thought it'd be a good idea to go back and examine which of my goals the team met and which remain elusive. Also, since 2012 kicks off tomorrow, I'll look forward as well and draft up a dozen -- yes, one more over the year before -- wish list items that I'd love to see come true in the new year. It's my column; I can cry if I want to, after all. Let's get this party started!
Enter at your own Rift: A holiday wish-list for Telara
The holidays are upon us, and one of the most important parts of the season is making wish lists. Mine came in at a rather modest four pages, with another two pages of in-game items for my characters. Trion certainly has had a busy year, and while the game looks a lot different now than it did at launch, there's always room for more changes and improvements. Since I'm on a roll with making wish-lists this year, this week's Enter at Your Own Rift will give a rundown of what should be added to the game in 2012. Read on for the list, and then add your own below!
Aion 3.0 trailer details housing, new dungeons, and more
Aion fans rejoice! The near-mythical 3.0 update is coming to Korea inside of a week (which means it's a few months removed from the American servers, of course). If the new Korean trailer is any indication, though, it should be well worth the wait. The four-minute clip takes us inside the Promised Land patch's player housing mechanics, not to mention six new instanced areas and a variety of open world locales. You can also glimpse the patch's assorted air and ground mounts. We reported on some early looks at the 3.0 content last month, but the new trailer is even more extensive. Head past the cut to view it in full, and then mosey over to MMO Culture for a few new screenshots.
Aeria releases new Lime Odyssey video, screenshots
Aeria Games is starting to ramp up the publicity for its Lime Odyssey free-to-play MMO. The team behind the upcoming fantasy title recently released a new website, trailer, and a gaggle of screenshots, and have followed suit today with another trailer and still more screenshots. The clip is taken directly from the game, and serves as an introduction for human characters. There's a bit of backstory relating to the history of the world and the pursuit of lime, as well as lots of idyllic long-shots featuring the game's beautiful scenery. The new screens show a variety of activities including cooking and farming as well as a group of adventurers in full armor and some player housing. Check them out below and don't forget the video clip after the cut. %Gallery-127103%
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: My plans lie in shambles!
Welcome to another installment of A Mild-Mannered Reporter, where you've all stumbled into my trap. Yes, you thought that I was going to have a column discussing another villain group due to the end of the last column, but no. Today might not quite be the anniversary of City of Villains, but it's close enough for our purposes to look back at the impact that the first expansion had on... Wait, what? You mean I already did that? Foiled again! Of course, it's not really a surprise. It's hard to picture a world without the villains running around, even if the world conspires to give them a bad name -- not to mention the bad name they give themselves. But in honor of this anniversary, I want to look back and reminisce about a couple of nefarious features that the expansion brought with it that haven't held up quite as well, for better or worse.
The Road to Mordor: Party planning committee, assemble!
Considering that Fellowship of the Ring begins with a huge party -- thrown in honor of Bilbo Baggins' eleventy-first birthday -- I think it's appropriate that Lord of the Rings Online is conducive to parties. I'm not just talking about dev-designed festivals, although those are great; I'm referring to parties that the community whips up from time to time. Part of the appeal of LotRO to me is that it isn't just all about killing and leveling; it's also about exploring and living in this virtual Middle-earth. Life for the Free Peoples means celebrating even in the midst of oppressive evil, and it's in keeping with the spirit of the enterprise to throw a shindig now and then. Turbine's given us quite a few tools and resources to use when assembling a party, and I thought that today we'd take an unusual detour from the Road to Mordor and go through the steps of throwing a memorable and enjoyable soirée. Ready to cut loose? Footloose? Good! Let's tear up the dance floor!
Wings Over Atreia: Over the river and through the woods
To Aion's housing we go! Oh, if only it were that simple! And quick. 'Cause I got my hiking boots on and am raring to go. Heck, I will even wade through rivers of enemy blood to get me some housing! Now you all know what kind of statement that is coming from PvP-challenged me. Sadly, there is still a long wait ahead as there is no real official word on the release of 3.0 and its accompanying features. To be honest, with my all-too-obvious love of housing, I am not entirely sure that the information that trickled out of Korea this past week was more exciting... or painful. TEASE!! Either way, there is no ignoring the fact that the tantalizing information has come, posted front and center on the Korean Powerwiki for all to see. Thanks to some kind translating, those of us not fluent in Korean can also get a glimpse at what NCsoft has in store for us. Truly, I think that it is only fitting that last week's focus on a major frustration is followed up by something many are actually looking forward to! In all, some of the information revealed is exciting, some is pleasantly surprising, and some is even disappointing, Excited about Aion's upcoming housing or maybe just curious? Cross the threshold past the cut and join Wings Over Atreia as we explore the impending housing opportunities in Atreia.
Aion's 3.0 update features extensive housing mechanics, mounts
Remember that really slick Aion "vision" trailer that NCsoft released in November of 2009? If you're a fan of the Daeva-centric fantasy MMO you've probably seen the nine-minute clip floating around the intarwebs (and marveled at its graphical upgrades, mounts, player housing, and various bells and whistles). While NCsoft has already implemented some of the visual tweaks in a previous patch, the housing and mounts have remained conspicuously absent. Now, though, new info leaking out of Korea confirms that the features (and the rest of Aion 3.0) are indeed on the way. Housing will be available at level 21 and will boast many different styles, customizable interiors and exteriors (including color and elevation), functional wardrobes, and a variety of furniture items that will be produced by crafters. Mounts will come in both flying and ground-based flavors, and will need to be hatched from eggs like most of Aion's other pets. Finally, it's worth noting that NCsoft has no official release date for 3.0, and the North American servers usually lag several months behind their Korean counterparts in terms of content updates.
Eden Eternal update introduces Templar, player housing
Aeria Games has been teasing Eden Eternal's latest update since late last month, and now it's finally live. Eden Eternal players get a smattering of new goodies with the new patch, from the Templar class to player housing. In addition, the level cap has been raised to level 60, and new maps and dungeons have been introduced to keep players entertained on the way to the top. To get in on the free-to-play action, head on over to Eden Eternal's official site. [Source: Aeria Games press release]
Aeria releases Eden Eternal player housing video
Eden Eternal's feature list just got a bit longer, as Aeria Games has released a new trailer showing off the game's player housing implementation. The new content is scheduled to go live sometime in early October, according to the latest Aeria press release. The video shows a good amount of customization, and player characters can be seen placing a variety of objects inside a spacious interior as well as rotating said objects. Everything from beds to bookshelves to wall hangings will be obtainable via the game's item shop and from various in-game quests. Finally, Aeria is allowing other players to visit your personal house, and doing so will reward both parties with "various status boosts." Check out the housing video after the break, and head to the official Eden Eternal website to learn more about the game. [Source: Aeria Games press release]
Eden Eternal update bringing new class, player housing, and more
Aeria Games announced in a press release today that Eden Eternal will be on the receiving end of a rather large content update sometime in early October. What gives this update such heft? Well, for starters there's the new Templar class, plus a level cap raise, and oh yeah, player housing. If five new levels, a new class, and houses aren't enough for you, get this: You can throw parties! In your house! House parties! Anyway, also included in the update are a variety of high-level areas, alpaca coins (which can be found in high-level zones and redeemed for various prizes), and a new pirate invasion event! Shiver me timbers and all that, matey. To get in on the swashbuckling, house-partying fun, just head on over to Eden Eternal's official site and sign up. [Source: Aeria Games press release]
Two years after the fall of the world: Fallen Earth's second anniversary
It's no secret that Fallen Earth is somewhat of a staff favorite here at Massively. While its combat system may not hold the same polish of other titles, it more than makes up for it in sheer exploration, incredibly deep crafting, an engagingly different game world, and the dark humor that seeps into every aspect of the game. In fact, Massively is what convinced me to give Fallen Earth a shot when it came out two years ago. At the time, I was just a regular gamer looking for something a little different than the elves-'n'-fantasy fare that 99% of MMOs were dishing my way. Fallen Earth's semi-familiar setting -- modern guns, post office boxes, motorcycles, sunglasses, giant mutated ants -- was at once familiar and foreign. It took me two solid tries to get into the game, but once I did, I was hooked. I've always felt bad that Fallen Earth never got more popular than it already is, although I can understand why. The post-apocalypse setting is enough to weird players out, and the paradigm shift from getting your gear via looting to building your own gear via crafting takes some getting used to. Plus, the troubles that Icarus Studios ran into early on didn't help matters any. Fortunately, the future looks bright for Fallen Earth, and as it celebrates its second anniversary, we should look back at this past year to see just how far this cult MMO has come. Clones, assemble!
Istaria publishes September content update, looks to the future
A few days ago we told you about some sandbox games that are worth your time, money, and in most cases, both. We're also ashamed to admit that we overlooked one of the more unique free-form MMORPGs in existence. That MMORPG is Istaria: Chronicles of the Gifted, and the devs have recently dropped a pretty extensive content update on the long-running fantasy game. Aside from the usual bug-fixing and quest tweaks, the September patch added a new high-level region called Winter Vale and a revamp of the game's portal system. That's just for starters, too, since the Istaria devs are hard at work on the new Helian's Tomb mini-dungeon and quest series as well as the return of seasonal events. Finally, there are several network and game client optimization projects in the works, including new launcher functionality and character management options. In short, there's never been a better time to return to (or discover) the world of Istaria. If you're curious, the game client is free to download, and you can also partake of an unlimited 14-day free trial or a feature-limited free-to-play option. Oh, and did we mention that you can build your own town and play as a dragon? [Thanks to Paul for the tip!]
EVE Evolved: Bringing back the glory days
In years gone by, exploring the unknown far reaches of the EVE Online universe meant setting a course for nullsec. With no way to install a permanent residence in the most lucrative far-off systems, players would launch dangerous expeditions into the deep with the hope of striking it rich. Nullsec was the only place to mine rare ores containing megacyte and zydrine, and piracy wasn't as common as it is today. For putting themselves at the risk of pirates, miners were rewarded with an income stream greater than that of any other profession in the game. It was a golden age in exploration that wasn't to repeat itself until March 2009's Apocrypha expansion opened 2500 hidden wormhole systems for exploitation. Things have changed considerably since those early days of EVE. Player-built starbases and outposts have transformed the face of nullsec, allowing alliances to build themselves an empire in the void. December 2009's Dominion expansion brought a complete revamp of the nullsec sovereignty mechanics, allowing alliances to upgrade their space but dramatically increasing the cost of system ownership. Despite all of these updates and improvements, over the past several years we have somehow lost a lot of what made nullsec great in its glory days. Local industry has been replaced by risk-free logistics, and nullsec's risky but rewarding mining profession is now greatly overshadowed by safe highsec mission-running. With a new iterative nullsec revamp scheduled to begin this winter, I use this week's EVE Evolved to speculate on what can be done to bring back the glory days of nullsec industry.
The Road to Mordor: Not all who wander are lost
These are exciting times for Lord of the Rings Online, for sure. The Fellowship -- and hundreds of thousands of groupies following in its wake -- has moved south, and we are growing ever closer to Mordor and Mt. Doom. In a month, Middle-earth will grow significantly with the addition of Rise of Isengard, and level-capped players will suddenly have a whole new buffet of content to devour. It's also a good era for exposure for the game, as plenty of people will get to see the expansion at Gamescom and PAX, not to mention those already in the beta proper. While we haven't heard anything about the game's finances or player numbers lately, there's no reason to believe that it's not still going strong. That said, I want to take a step back today, as I sometimes do, and look at the larger picture. How is LotRO positioned against the current competition and the heavy-hitters yet to come? What does Turbine need to be working on over the next year or two? Are we just wandering aimlessly, or is the path laid out for journey for a long time to come?
Frogster announces new Eligium MMO, reveals cinematic trailer
Most modern MMORPGs are all about making thousands of players feel like mighty heroes, but Frogster's newest endeavor is taking that concept to another level if the game's title is anything to go by. A new cinematic trailer for Eligium - The Chosen One was just announced, and the game itself will be shown off later this week at Gamescom 2011. The free-to-play fantasy title "challenges players to see if they have what it takes to be the chosen one and free the world from the invading demonic hordes," according to a Frogster press release. Eligium was actually developed by a Chinese firm called Shanda Games Ltd. (Frogster is serving as the publisher), and the title will be launching in the first quarter of 2012 to the English, German, French, and Polish markets. In terms of gameplay, Eligium features five playable race/class combinations (including panda fighters), extensive crafting and item upgrade options, and group instances as well as world boss battles. There's also a bit of PvP on offer and guild systems designed to bring factional warfare to the forefront. Frogster's press material also mentions player housing and a pet/mount-hatching system. You can glimpse the first official Eligium trailer after the break.
